In warm weather states, people use outdoor pools most months of the year. The pools are constantly accumulating debris, which can be natural or man-made.
Currently, there are several commercially available powered vacuum pump devices are capable of effectively cleaning a pool floor. However, these devices have many tubes to assemble and prime, and those that required electrical hook-ups present particular problems with the electrical connections. As a general rule, the known powered vacuum-type devices are complicated and require substantial time and effort to set up and dismantle. Any cleaner that requires connection to a vacuum source and/or an electric power source has inherent limitations of space and functionality. For example, crimped vacuum lines will negatively impact the cleaner's operability.
Another problem associated with known powered pool cleaners is that they often require backwashing to remove debris. Backwashing adds further to the time and effort to undergo a pool cleaning operation.
Hand held nets, known as pool "skimmers," are used by pool operators to clean leaves and other larger debris from the water surface and the pool floor. These skimmers are not difficult to set up and do not require power for operation. However, they are not very effective for removing fine debris from the pool floor and require the user to develop skill at using the net. Most have curved frames which render close contact with the floor difficult.
Automatic robot pool cleaners are also commercially available, but these are generally expensive, complicated and require power and pumping connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,458 to Price discloses a pool vacuum device with a steering attachment which provides swivel action. This type of device requires connection to a vacuum line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,034 to Iannucci discloses a vacuum pool cleaner with a rotary brush. Again, this type of device is relatively complicated and requires connection to a vacuum source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,956 to Kassis discloses a pool vacuum device having a vacuum hose connection and a rectangular head with a bristled perimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,324 to Giammanco, U.S. Pat. No. Des.259,936 to Price and U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,810 to Hugo all disclose vacuum-type pool cleaners where the head is provided with wheels. All require connection to a vacuum source.
A continuing need exists for a relatively simple, inexpensive and easy to operate pool cleaning device.